West Brom fan Tommy Langford looking for big-time breakthrough at Leicester Arena

The Albion fan, who holds the British, Commonwealth and WBO inter-continental middleweight belts, is facing the experienced 37-year-old Avtandil Khurtsidze at the Leicester Arena on April, 22.

And Langford, who is 10 years his junior, is hoping victory will propel him into the spotlight and set up a potential fight with middleweight superstar Gennady Golovkin.

"This is a big step-up without a doubt," admitted Langford, who originally hails from Devon but now lives in Weoley Castle. "It's a huge test. This Georgian has been around for a long time. He's a former world champion himself. It is a definite step-up but one I can believe I can win.

"I've got the style and the ingredients to beat this lad. If I get I get it right on the night, I win. If I don't get it right, I have a hard night. If we both get it right, we're in for hell of a fight.

"He's got a hustle-bustle style, he's shorter than me by a substantial amount and he looks to get inside and bully his way in and beat you up.

"They call him the mini Mike Tyson, and with me being bigger and taller with a high work rate, it spells for an exciting night. He can be out-boxed, you can keep it long and pick him off.

"I'm bigger and taller and faster."

Winning this bout would put Langford in line to fight the current WBO Middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders.

But he suspects Saunders is setting up a unification fight with Golovkin, who currently holds the WBA, WBC, IBF, and IBO middleweight titles.

"It's not been announced but it's highly rumoured," said Langford. "All things point to Golovkin. I believe there are ways of beating him, but no-one's managed to put a dent in him yet."

Even though that would be a huge leap forward for Langford, it's not one he would shy away from.

"You only get one career, one stab at it," he said. "You only come round in the world once so when you get thrown opportunities you've got to take them. It could never happen again. I've jumped at this, if it pays off and you get the big fight, fantastic."

But he's got to get past Khurtsidze first, who has won his last nine fights and has 21 knockouts from 32 career wins.

Langford is due to be boosted by a few special supporters in the crowd cheering him on. And it will be a case of role reversal for the Albion fan who goes to every home game and writes a column for the match day programme.

"I know a good few of the staff members are definitely going," he beamed. "I spoke to (Ben) Foster, he's interested, (James) Morrison is a big boxing fan, so is (James) McClean. (Claudio) Yacob and (Salomon) Rondon both fancy it too. But you never know with footballers!"